When I hunt Deer/Axis I shoot my 300WSM or 45/70, most my think this is overkill. I like a larger caliber for larger game. My question is, at a 100-150 yards what's the chance that I can take an Axis with a 223 68 grain bullet with a neck shot? My question is not to start a controversial post. I am out varmint hunting often with my Remington R-15 in 223. I do come across an Axis every once in awhile and am wanting to take the shot. Accuracy is not the question here but is this a fair and reasonable shot. If so, what part of the neck do I aim at?

Thanks,
Mike

I know of a lot of does killed with a neck shot from a .223 My friends grandfather swears by it. I myself have never used that caliber on deer. He goes on meat hunts in south texas with it every yr.

the chance of a well placed shot killing an axis at 150yrds, 99%. as long as u hit some vitals, u will kill the animal, and a neck shot would sure do the job, and so would a behind the shoulder shot.

Man i have dropped deer in the neck with a .223 without a problem. That little gun has more power than most people think. I have dropped hogs out to 100yrds dead in there tracks. The biggest hog i have dropped with a .223 was right behind the ear and was around 250lbs. I love my .223 sing shot gun. Smooth shooting and very reliable

I killed a lot of deer with a ruger mini 14 .223, the last one i killed i neck shot and the deer never flinched, there was no blood, the only reason we found him was because i assured my dad I hit him, and we went and waled the woods, while walking he raised his head and my dad shot him in the neck with the .270, when we got to him, we found him to have been mortally wounded with the .223, there was blood everywhere, it just didn't start until late in the trail, That was the last deer i Shot at with the .223 and do not really like to suggest it, that was 15 years ago. HOWEVER, if I was predator hunting and had a chance at an axis, I would feel somewhat confident that i could kill one, and as stated above 99% of the time you will have a dead deer with that neck shot, just dont be surprised if you loose an animal

Just shoot them in the head.

I used to take neck shots all the time with my 243 and 270. Then I had one get up and run off 2 years ago. I was sure it was a good solid hit... it bowled her over backwards! After 4 hours of searching I found 2 drops of blood (away from the impact spot) and no deer.

Then last year the same doe showed back up in the same area! Check it out...

A picture paints a thousand words. But if you look below her ear on the neck and then near the base of the neck there are other spots. I don't know if this isn't something else instead of bullet wound marks.

I think Dave (llanite) just backed up my decision to always hunt deet with the larger caliber guns. Of course, what sort of bullet were you shooting? Jacketed mucht go all the way through, where another typy micht mushroom enough to cause a mortal wound.

I do love neck shots. You generally either have a clean kill or a clean miss. I've never had to trail a neck-shot deer. They always drop like a sack of potatoes.

I liked your post better before you edited it.

I actually saw her again the evening after I shot her at a nearby blind, but it was too late in the day to shoot. The spots on her neck are right where I was aiming. No doubt in my mind it's the same deer.

Note The two marks are just below the spine and above the throat. I had read articles that this was a possible no-kill zone. I'm a believer now.

WOW, that doe would have earned a lifetime pass from me.



HAPPY HUNTING

130gr soft point. I've probably shot 35 deer in the neck and always dropped them on the spot too. I had gotten tired of tracking heart/lung shot deer in the dark. Head shots are no good, as another suggested, since you can blow their lower jaw off and leave them to die a slow death from starvation.

I'm back to heart/lung shots these days, though with 270cal 150gr bullets now.

Yep, I did pass on her last year and as far as I know she could still be alive. I've been watching for her. It was divine intervention she lived through that.

Guts:
I appreciate the comments. As I said in my original post I like larger calibers. When I'm out with my 223 for varmints I often have the opportunity to shoot at an Axis. I have taken a neck shot with a larger caliber and faired well. Just wasn't sure about a neck shot with the 223. Your feedback is much appreciated. This is a great forum for information!
Thanks,
Mike

The spine on a deer is roughly the diameter of quarter or silver dollar ( for those of us old enough to know what that is). Can you hit a quarter at 150 yards? That is, if you can 'see' the quarter. I'm never exactly sure where in the neck ( up and down ) is that spine SO, I'm not exactly sure where to shoot. That is considering I make an absolute perfect shot with no pull or drift on my part when shooting.

I just sighted in my new 308 and without even meaning to, I was spreading out my rounds by as much as four inches. I was shooting from a level concrete table with lead bags for rests. That is pretty much about as perfect shooting situation as I will come across. At 100 yards, my shot drifted as much as four inches. Now, I'm not satisfied with my shooting the new rifle at all but I know that I was anticipating the kick, etc. and it was my fault. I'm just saying, even at four inches of drift, a heart/lung shot will kill a deer everytime.

I too, am concerned about deer running off and I have asked for thoughts on this. I appreciate that even large calibre rifles can have deer run off. I have almost decided to go through one of the front shoulders to anchor them to the ground.

I personally, do not have the confidence to take a neck shot. That's me.

well, here we go....a silver dollar huh, well I got good new for ya, You do not need a direct spine hit to break the spine, if you hit within 1.5 inches of that spine with a .270 of greater with 130grains that will deliver 2009 foot pounds of energy at 200 yards, 9999 times out of 10000 that shot will break the neck, thus giving you at least a 3 inch margin, and I can shoot 3 inch groups all day long.

IF, and I do mean IF that deer pictured above was in fact shot in the neck, In my opinion it was hit with a defective bullet, one that did not expand, and was still Dang lucky, but it looks to me that if that deer was hit where those spots are, it would have been a direct hit to the spine....It does happen, i will give it that, just very rare.

a well placed shot from a 223 will do the job.

I don't think there is any doubt that this doe has been shot through the neck. The scars are exactly across from each other, amd are above the spine.

I know a lot of the old timers were neck shooters, and I'm also sure a lot of deer went off and died from worms in the wound around the spine. The old timers used to cut the throats of deer after they were dead to "BLEED" them! The heart has to be pumping to make an animal bleed, so because the old timers did anything is no proof that it is a good practice, or even usefull.

IMO, the neck shot is the most risky shot one can take, especially at 150 yds or more! If you are tiny bit high you go through NOTHING, but if you are a little lowand you hit the wind pipe there isn't much to expand a bullet, and very few blood vessels in the wind pipe, so again he goes off and maybe can't eat or drink, so he dies of thirst, or hunger. the target to hit the spine is only about 2.5 inched from bottom to top. Just below it you hit jugular, a little lower the esophigus, a little above and you wound makeing a place for parasites to enter.

The 223 with a heavy for caliber bonded core soft bullet, in the ribcage will be a far surer killer every time.

It is not something I have ever considered trying myself. However, several years ago, I was with a friend and we were on one of the large central Texas exotic game ranches and had been allowed to take a few cull animals under the direction of a guide. I was set to take a Sikka and my fried was asked to take an Axis. He was using and AR15 and we were having a tough time following a group of Axis. After a long scramble over some hills and taking an off hand shot at about 125 yards, my friend took a neck shot at the request of the guide. He made a well placed shot and the Axis dropped right there. The guide also requested that I make a neck shot when we had an opportunity on the Sikka. I did so at her request but I was using a 30.06 and the Sikka went down to never get up again. When we approached the Sikka, he was very much alive but was not going anywhere.

We've got a couple guys on our lease that use .223's exclusively for deer hunting. Granted, we get smaller deer on our place (hill country, low fence) but as long as it's a good heart/lung shot, they haven't had one go more than 20 yards.

I don't allow neck shots on trophy animals, break that front half down ant they don't go far. It's a personal choice though where you have to make it.

Is a perfect neck shot from a 223 dropping that deer, yes. Can most of us make a perfect neck shot at that range, no. Should you take it, that's a personal choice.

I have taken deer with a 9mm, but it was a head shot at about 30 yards...

Now, jump to Axis... Axis are tough critters, alot tougher than whitetails. If it was a meat doe and plenty of area to track in, maybe, if it's a small place or near a property line, then that's asking for trouble in my opinion.

Just because you CAN take a shot, doesn't mean you SHOULD take a shot. I've shot lots of does in the heart/lungs and none of them have run off more than 50-75 yds. That's not much to track IMO and well worth lessening the risk of a neck shot.

To each their own...

Where the neck and the head connect, or in the face if possible.

Personally I wouldn't do it. At least not with an AR. Hell I still take the good 'ol heart/lung shots with my 30-06 and Marlin 308 express. The farthest deer (my brother shot) with the 30-06 ran 20 meters.

You forgot to tell us what caliber you used when this happened?? and what type of bullet- makes all the difference